I'm in the process of drafting a Press Officer's written report for the Green party AGM next Wednesday - see here for more details of the AGM as the first half with speaker is open to anyone. The draft still needs some work - but maybe of some interest to Blog readers.Photo: near Haresfield Beacon last week
As I've noted before, while Greens do get much more coverage than ever before, it is still noticeable how much more work is needed - local papers repeatedly carry full page spreads about Staverton airport without a mention of climate change plus pages of car articles - yes I know we aren't going to change that overnight - I understand even the Environment Editor of The Independent said we can't do climate change otherwise all those car and holiday adverts that fund the paper would go elsewhere - infact The Independent is probably best of the national papers at tackling the issue....and that sadly is still inadequate.
I've talked before re media and how it works or doesn't - the pressures on it etc - yesterday I read a useful article by David Edwards entitled "Dangerous Minds".
It is worth a read if you have the energy - it also has some particularly useful insights into our education system. Anyhow here's that draft summary of my role over the last year as Press Officer for the local Green party:
1. Gloucestershire Green party website and Blogs
This last year has seen nearly 500 news releases and letters sent to local press: 470 of these can be viewed on our website. The website is updated most days and the site has also seen regular redesigns by Dave Cockcroft like the edition of a new section about the Coffee House Discussions and 3 local Blogs. The Blogs include my own with nearly 300 posts since May 2006 mainly about my work as a councillor and the Green party's Economic Spokesperson Stroud-based, Molly Scott-Cato - a fascinating look at the world of Green economics.
2. Media
2.1. Newspapers - Around 70% of the news releases get picked up in at least one of the 6 local newspapers. We've maintained a steady presence in all the papers: averaging at least a couple of mentions in SNJ each week, three in The Citizen and one in the Western Daily Press. A Green party member has made front page quotes in around 20 papers this year and we've written a 'Comment' piece for The Citizen on 5 occasions.
Journalists are also phoning more often for comments on particular issues: still only traditional 'green' issues like nuclear power and recycling but it is very positive that we are starting to be seen more as having important contributions to the arguments. Indeed we are also getting criticised by other political parties - great stuff as Mahatma Ghandi said:
“First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.”2.2. Broadcast media - In terms of TV Stroud Greens got the BBC's Politics Show interested in covering the Environment Green paper. Martin Whiteside was able to comment on the show and Principal Speaker Keith Taylor was interviewed about the Severn Barrage. Greens were also central in providing the evidence to get Countryfile to do their whole programme on the area - asking 'Is Stroud the greenest in the West?' Martin Whiteside spent some 3 hours showing them around and being interviewed. Green party members, particularly Martin, have also been interviewed for nearly 20 broadcasts by local radio for various items through the year. It is great we are being able to use the broadcast media more, but it could still be better!
2.3. Campaigns - We've been involved in many campaigns including hiring a coach to London's Climate Change march, Gloucester's first ever Gay pride march where we were the only political party, keeping Gloucester's Mail centre open, helping organise the 3000-strong march against Stroud health cuts and repeated protest at the privatisation of the NHS, renewing passports early to protest at ID cards, lobbying to stop Bristol airport's expansion and the Gloucester Docks demo against the cuts to inland waterways. Some Greens even purshased a virtual title, mine was 'Baron Booth of Bread Street' to highlight the deeply disturbing fact that 17 out of the 22 individuals who have donated more than £100,000 to the Labour Party in the past few years have received an honour.
2.4. Reports and submissions - Government at all levels has gone crazy on consultations. I question sometimes how useful it is to spend time on these but unless we put forward our views it is much harder to argue our case. We have participated in 15 major consultations or submissions and particular thanks for help must go to Rosie Reed, Dave Cockcroft, Martin Whiteside and Jan Bayley.
The biggest of these has been the Council's Environment Green paper: a team of some 10 members have been enormously helpful in pulling together ideas and pushing this forward. Another huge project was responding to the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (possibly the most important planning document in the SW) which if implemented will lead to an increase in CO2 emissions. We are sadly very lone voices on this issue but managed to persuade Stroud District Council to also raise this issue in their submission. These projects are on-going.
We have also done a handful of submissions regarding nuclear power: our main submission to CoRWM by Jan Bayley has been acclaimed as one of the best by those outside the nuclear industry. We have also submitted reports to the consultation on GM co-existence, the DTI's Energy Review, the County's waste strategy and regarding the proposed expansion of Bristol airport.
While our submissions may have not always have produced the results we want, they have provided an opportunity to get the views in the media and I am also convinced they are helping change the way many view the world. For example we have seen local Tories for the first time question airport expansions publicly and others visibly uncomfortable around issues they would have dismissed in the past as 'green propaganda'.
2.5. Other issues - The vast majority of our news items are Stroud-based but we are continuing to cover the whole of Gloucestershire. Looking back over the issues we've covered shows a huge range of topics, but clearly number one has been climate change. Indeed rarely a few days goes by without trying to raise the issue again in some new way which includes highlighting what needs to be done. It is vital that we can empower people to act and help us make the changes that are needed in Government and locally.
Many of our news items are in response to items in the press while others are issues we want to get covered more. Other local issues have included the canal, the Environment Green paper, Aston Down, nuclear waste trains, Bisley composting, health cuts, the Severn Barrage, mobile phones at school and much more. We've also managed a huge range of wider issues like anger at David Drews failure to support an inquiry into Iraq, updates on the 'Fairford Five', Trident, nuclear waste, sex-trafficking, Lebanon, Seal products, dairy farming etc. Infact I urge anyone interested to use the search engine on our website to find what you want. Are we missing any key areas? Could you help around any topic area?
3. Web-based news
This is an area we've not made the most of - only a few of our news releases have also been posted on other websites and to other groups. Some of those sites, like Indymedia are strict about the content not being party political. We need to explore this area more and advertise our own website better. Another area we've only just touched on is the numerous web Discussion Groups - there are a few large ones based in Gloucestershire. I have made very small steps into this area but we need to develop our presence more on these sites.
4. GNN: Green News Network
I continue to produce a monthly summary of our news releases and letters. Anyone can sign up easily to GNN on our website: www.glosgreenparty.org.uk
5. Summary
We continue to build a solid media presence here in Gloucestershire in the newspapers but there is still room for much improvement and we still need to do more on the broadcast media. Martin and Kevin are to be particularly thanked for their help in this area. We will also need support of more members if we are to sustain and develop our media and campaigning work: whether it be responding to a letter in the papers, phoning a local radio or helping research a campaign we would love to hear from you.
I would like to finish this report with a huge thank you to the many, many members and supporters who have helped me through the year - it is, as always an exciting, challenging, frustrating, inspiring journey. Green politics is having a significant impact locally and nationally - bigger than ever before. We must build on this rapidly, time is running out, it is vital we get more Greens elected in May.
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